As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic disrupts normal routines across the country, credit unions provide financial and other support to local businesses and charitable organizations.
Here’s a snapshot of how credit unions are supporting their communities:
Blue Credit Union, Cheyenne, Wyo., delivered more than 700 COVID-19 survival bags to area health-care professionals. “We hope these care packages will brighten these heroes’ day and show them how much we appreciate all they do,” says Jayden Burton, business development specialist. “Blue recognizes what a huge impact these professionals have in our communities. We want to spread their mission of doing good and changing lives during these unprecedented times.”
UK Federal Credit Union, Lexington, Ky., committed to spending $50,000 at local restaurants by bringing in lunch for employees at all branch locations. UK Federal challenges other businesses to follow its lead and support local restaurants.
Coastal Credit Union, Raleigh, N.C., donated 150 laptops to the Wake Tech Foundation to help students transition to online classes. The college will identify students who need reliable computers and ship them to their homes.
Neighbors Federal Credit Union, Baton Rouge, La., will purchase $10,000 in gift cards from restaurants participating in the city’s “Keep BR Serving” campaign. The credit union will give the gift cards to Neighbors Federal employees in essential roles who can’t work from home. The campaign will direct 30% of revenue from gift card sales directly to impacted restaurant workers to help cover lost tips and wages.
With schools across Long Island, N.Y., closed indefinitely due to the spread of COVID-19, Jovia Financial Credit Union, Westbury, N.Y., and Island Harvest Food Bank are teaming up to bring meal kits to hundreds of home-bound families dependent on the daily meals provided by local schools. Jovia Financial’s $10,000 donation will initially target 30 school districts in Nassau and Suffolk counties, where roughly 400 families will receive meal kits with enough food for a family of four, for three to four days.
CAP COM Federal Credit Union, Albany, N.Y., and its charitable giving arm, the CAP COM Cares Foundation, have announced a $50,000 donation to the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. This food bank depends heavily on funds to meet the growing demand to feed children, seniors, and families. The organization is receiving an unprecedented number of requests for assistance in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis.
Members of Elevations Credit Union, Boulder, Colo., have donated $75,000 to assist those affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The credit union has matched those donations for a total of $150,000 that will be granted through the Elevations Community Relief Fund.
State Employees’ Credit Union, Raleigh, N.C., and SECU Foundation have committed up to $10 million to assist with COVID-19 disaster relief efforts across North Carolina. The combined funding—$5 million each from the credit union and the foundation—will help multiple non-profit organizations meet basic food, clothing, shelter and financial assistance needs statewide. The donations will also support front-line medical providers and others as they carry out their missions to help the most vulnerable North Carolinians during this pandemic crisis.